Fire and ash: Stunning photos of Mount Etna eruption

Europe’s tallest active volcano, Mount Etna in Sicily, has erupted for the first time in two years, sending plumes of fire and ash several kilometres high into the sky.

Updated Updated 4 December 2015

By
SBS News

The eruption began with a fountain of lava stretching one kilometre in the sky, then an ash plume reaching three kilometres.

The show lasted 50 minutes, spewing ash plumes and lightning in what is called a “dirty thunderstorm”. Meteorologists say the phenomenon occurs when ash particles collide to create electrical charges, similar to the static generated when rubbing a balloon against your head.

No injuries were reported.

Sicilian photographer Marco Restivo overlapped five images to create one single photo showing the dirty thunderstorm.

Roman records from 122 B.C. suggest a particularly large and violent eruption caused widespread damage to the town of Catania on the coast, after blocking the sun for several days. Roman taxes were scrapped for a decade to assist the process of rebuilding the town.

The volcano lies near the east coast of the island of Sicily and stands at 3,329 metres in height.